The Nine | Eight: The Challenger

Big Ideas:

·      When we trust God in the process, we can be sure that He will get us there.

·      Only when we focus on Him and allow our FAITH to grow will our fear diminish.

Note to the Leader:

Open up group with a time of prayer

Getting Started:

·      What have you enjoyed most about this series?

Digging In

Discuss

·      This week specifically we focus on the 8: The Challenger, are there any “8’s” in the group?

·      What are the strengths of the Eight: Challenger?

     Pastor said that challengers are the ones who make us feel uncomfortable

·      If you are not an 8 do you agree with this statement, why? – share an example.

·      If you are an 8 do you agree with this? share a reason why you do/don’t.

We looked at 3 different 8’s in this message: Saul, Paul same guy, different name – discuss why) and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

8’s Stand Against Injustice and Protect Those Who are Weak

·      How does this statement make you feel?

·      Have you experienced this as a negative in your experiences with an 8?

Misguided Passion is Dangerous: Read Acts 7:57-58

·      We looked at Saul with regards to this, was he wrong even though he felt right? How so?

·      How can we help an “unhealthy” 8?

Pastor said, “As Challengers Please Make Sure that you are Battling for God’s Truth and NOT Just Your Version of the Truth.”

·      What is the difference between these two types of truth?

·      What is the best way for us to know if we are doing this?

Others are Harmed by Our Words and Actions When Our Passions are Misguided

Discuss Proverbs 18:21

Closing Thoughts:

·      Discuss Saul’s conversion to Paul.

·      What brought about this change? (Encounter with Jesus)

·      What does that tell us about how we should live? (Jesus’ mandate to love and serve all people needs to be what drives us)

Read 1 Timothy 6: 12

Closing Prayer

Lord, thank You for an amazing message about how we can and were actually designed by You to live by Faith. I pray that we allow Who You are – a faithful God – to be lead us and guide us daily. Only then can our passion be in the right places. You are our Way Maker, You are our Miracle Worker and we believe that you can do what no one else can do – bring your love and hope to our nation. You have a way of using the most unlikely people to carry out your amazing plans and we say, “count us in” we trust you Jesus and we are here willing to say YES.